New Anti HIV stigma campaign to be launched in Ramsgate.
Train the change is a training campaign started by award winning HIV activist Jayce Carberry and Ramsgate training company edUKate Training.
Train the change started as a conversation between Jayce and his Mum, Carole, owner of edUKate – about where the root of stigma lay, This happened after Jayce was subjected to stigma by an employee at the Maidstone Job Centre. Both agreed this was due to lack of education.
Jayce and edUKate then started working on a training programme in HIV, Aids & Stigma Awareness, which they called Train The Change.
They plan to deliver Train The Change across the UK, with interest already being shown by a local school for their older students.
The course is structured: The history of HIV & Aids, understanding HIV & Aids, understanding transmission of HIV, treatment and support for people living with HIV, appropriate and inappropriate language and phrases and the stigma surrounding HIV.
Jayce said: “I have been living with HIV since 2012, and coped well with my diagnosis, until the day I was subjected to stigma. All of a sudden I felt embarrassed, vulnerable and ashamed. Almost a year has passed, and I couldn’t shake off the thought that I was made to feel like that because the person was uneducated – I had to change that. We had the training issue addressed at Maidstone Jobcentre, but now I feel it is time to really change people attitudes and knowledge about HIV.”
A spokensperson for edUKate training, said: “When we think about the stigma surrounding HIV, we think about the causes; often ignorance and lack of education.
“Train the change is a HIV, AIDS and Stigma awareness course that we plan to deliver across the UK, in the hope that we can make an impact on the stigma attached to people living with HIV & Aids.
“We will also be personally donating a large percentage of all money raised to HIV & Aids charities – which we will announce later in the year. “
The campaign will be launched at The Marlowe Academy, Stirling Way, Ramsgate CT12 6NB on Thursday, February 20 at 7pm and organisers hope to have in attendance MPs, councillors, local teaching staff, key members of the local community and supporters of Jayce’s campaigning – including Brighton based, Martin Lowe, who nominated Jayce for the Argus Local Hero Award.
What: Launch of Train the change
Where: Marlowe Academy, Stirling Way, Ramsgate CT12 6NB
When: Thursday February 20
Time: 7pm
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